Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 18 Jul 2017
- 1. May tells cabinet to stop leaking
- 2. Floods and thunderstorms forecast for UK
- 3. Royals to meet Holocaust survivors
- 4. Sexist stereotypes banned from adverts
- 5. Republicans speak out against 'Trumpcare'
- 6. Saudis investigate video of woman in mini-skirt
- 7. R Kelly denies holding women in cult
- 8. New Jane Austen £10 note unveiled
- 9. Unexpected fall in UK inflation
- 10. Briefing: Turkey and the EU
1. May tells cabinet to stop leaking
Theresa May will today order her cabinet to stop leaking to journalists after a series of briefings about Brexit disputes in the government over the weekend. She also told MPs at a 1922 Committee drinks reception last night that there must be "no backbiting, no carping", adding: "[It's] me or Jeremy Corbyn… and nobody wants that."
Theresa May tells MPs to stop leaking to press
2. Floods and thunderstorms forecast for UK
Thunderstorms and possible floods have been predicted for large parts of the country today, with storms forecast in the south and east of England, the Midlands and Wales this evening and moving to the north of England tomorrow. The Met Office said there could be up to an inch of rainfall in one hour.
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3. Royals to meet Holocaust survivors
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will meet two Holocaust survivors today as part of the royal couple's five-day tour of Germany and Poland. Zigi Shipper and Manfred Goldberg, both 87, will return to Stutthof concentration camp near Gdansk, Poland, to share their stories. Last night, Kate and Prince William toasted Poland's "courage, fortitude and bravery" at a garden party in Warsaw.
Princess Charlotte to start nursery school in January
4. Sexist stereotypes banned from adverts
Adverts depicting outdated stereotypes such as men struggling to do household chores will be banned from next year. The crackdown will also hit ads considered to show activities as only appropriate for one gender or another. Such stereotypes "can restrict the choices, aspirations and opportunities of children, young people and adults", said the Advertising Standards Authority.
5. Republicans speak out against 'Trumpcare'
Two more US Republican senators have spoken in opposition to their party's proposed replacement for the Obamacare health act, meaning the so-called "Trumpcare" bill cannot be passed in its current form. Moderates are concerned about the impact on the least wealthy, but other senators say the bill does not go far enough.
Senate rejects Obamacare repeal bill
6. Saudis investigate video of woman in mini-skirt
Saudi Arabia is investigating a video on social media showing a young woman in a short skirt and bare arms walking around a historic fort in Ushaiqer, one of the country's most conservative areas. The model, only known as Khulood, has been praised for her bravery by some Saudis for breaking their strict dress code.
What are women banned from doing in Saudi Arabia?
7. R Kelly denies holding women in cult
R&B star R Kelly has denied claims he is holding a number of young women in an abusive cult and exploiting their desire for celebrity. Buzzfeed accused the singer of "brainwashing" the women after speaking to three sets of parents who said they had not seen their daughters for months. Kelly said he would work to clear his name.
R Kelly accused of holding women in 'cult'
8. New Jane Austen £10 note unveiled
A new £10 note featuring Jane Austen, that will go into circulation in September, has been unveiled at Winchester Cathedral to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the author’s death. The polymer note is the first to include a tactile feature to help visually impaired people. Meanwhile, a limited supply of a new £2 coin honouring Jane Austen has been put into circulation by the Royal Mint.
Rare £5 notes: which ones are the most valuable?
9. Unexpected fall in UK inflation
Inflation has fallen for the first time in nine months, dropping to 2.6% in June after being at 2.9% the previous month, the Office for National Statistics says. The unexpected fall in the consumer prices index could prompt the Bank of England to shelve an increase in interest rates. The fall, described by analysts as a "blip", was largely driven by lower petrol and diesel prices.
Cost of living squeeze may be 'overblown'
10. Briefing: Turkey and the EU
Europe's leaders once hailed Turkey as a beacon of hope, proof that Islam and liberalism could coincide. But in the aftermath of last year's attempted coup, that has all changed.
At the beginning of this month, the European Parliament, alarmed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plan to expand his powers, called for accession talks to be suspended, while Swedish lawmakers have accused him of war crimes against Turkey’s Kurdish community.
Turkey, too, has distanced itself from Europe. Last week, Erdogan told BBC World's HardTalk his country was ready to "stand on its own two feet", with the majority of Turkish people no longer "wanting the EU any more."
So why has Ankara's relationship with Brussels turned so sour?
Turkey and the EU: From friends to foes

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